The present invention relates generally to materials and apparatus for use in the treatment of patients. More particularly, the present invention relates to biocompatible material having greater functionality, and methods for making and using the same.
Plastic materials have long been used in medical applications, including implants. An example of such use is in treating aneurysms. Aneurysms are enlargements or “bulges” in blood vessels which are often prone to rupture and which therefore present a serious risk to the patient. Aneurysms may occur in any blood vessel, but are of particular concern when they occur in the cerebral vasculature or the patient's aorta. The present invention is particularly concerned with biocompatible materials, including multilayer materials, for use in such applications.
A material for use in medical treatment, in particular implantable devices, requires many attributes which need to work in synergy to provide for optimum performance. Examples of such attributes include: ease of deployment (in case of use as a deployable component), adaptable configuration for design and use within various tortuous lumens of the body, ease of manufacture, and/or identification and tracking during treatment procedures.
A commonly used biocompatible material is polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). PTFE is chemically inert, thus desirable for use in medical devices that come in contact with the human body. However, material, such as films formed from PTFE may lack, or possess less than desirable properties such as ease of processing into desired forms.
For at least these reasons, it would desirable to provide improved biocompatible material, in particular those for use in treatment of aortic aneurysms.